PDA

View Full Version : More latenight races on ESPN?


NickFalzone
11th June 2008, 01:15
Despite all the screwups, over an hour tape delay, etc. it still did well for ESPN:

Texas race delivers high ESPN2 viewership Though the Bombardier Learjet 550k from Texas Motor Speedway on June 7 was tape-delayed, it was the highest-rated and most-viewed IndyCar Series race ever on ESPN2.
The white-knuckled race won by Scott Dixon also was the second-most viewed IndyCar Series race in ESPN/ESPN2 history.
BenRoethig
11th June 2008, 01:33
Sounds like some might have stayed after watching the nationwide race.
dataman1
11th June 2008, 16:43
I wonder if you record a race and you are part of the sample polling done for ratings if it counts as an actual viewing. The things that make you wonder.
BenRoethig
11th June 2008, 16:49
No. Only those watching live are counted.
Easy Drifter
11th June 2008, 17:54
Yeah it is hard to see much if you are watching dead. :angel:
Sorry, but I couldn't resist.
speeddurango
12th June 2008, 12:07
While I understood there's a particular negative atmosphere in this thread for TV rating's looking good, I have to be the opposite, since it's been looking better in most races, that's got to be something to it, and I hope Indycar can keep it up.
veeten
12th June 2008, 13:18
The question is, what were the physical viewing numbers? Do we have to go through a 3rd party, such as Neilsen Media Research, to get them?

I believe that would be a little more helpful in shedding some light on this topic.
veeten
12th June 2008, 13:29
Okay, the numbers, as given by Associated Press whom did the story on ESPN.com, were a 1.0 cable rating reaching 939,160 households, an increase over last year's 0.7 rating at 639,952.

The real point in this is that reunification is having some payoffs in generating viewers, and if the rest of the season is as equally successful, dont see any major changes to the schedule.
BenRoethig
12th June 2008, 13:57
Okay, the numbers, as given by Associated Press whom did the story on ESPN.com, were a 1.0 cable rating reaching 939,160 households, an increase over last year's 0.7 rating at 639,952.

The real point in this is that reunification is having some payoffs in generating viewers, and if the rest of the season is as equally successful, dont see any major changes to the schedule.

You will be seeing changes and an expanded schedule. There's a close to two month gap between joliet and surfers. They'll be able to add some races in there and add a big season ending race in the first week of November.
garyshell
12th June 2008, 16:15
You will be seeing changes and an expanded schedule. There's a close to two month gap between joliet and surfers. They'll be able to add some races in there and add a big season ending race in the first week of November.


Don't count on that. Isn't there some stipulation form the networks that Chicago MUST be the last race of the "season". I know they do NOT want to go up against the NFL.

Gary
BenRoethig
12th June 2008, 16:28
Don't count on that. Isn't there some stipulation form the networks that Chicago MUST be the last race of the "season". I know they do NOT want to go up against the NFL.

Gary

I think there is a contract with the speedway that it be the last race of the year for 2008. That's why surfers is an exhibition race this year. ABC/ESPN's only NFL game is on Monday night now. It wouldn't effect them. The Sprint cup chase might, but that's all on the big network.
call_me_andrew
13th June 2008, 07:49
I wonder if you record a race and you are part of the sample polling done for ratings if it counts as an actual viewing. The things that make you wonder.

It's my understanding that if you record with a DVR, what you watch can be tracked.

I first learned of that in the Super Bowl XXXIX Halftime Show fallout. TiVo announced that they noticed a spike in pauses shortly following the "wardrobe malfunction".
indyracefan
13th June 2008, 09:50
...amazing the ratings were as high as they were with that absolutely pathetic broadcast by ESPN.
dataman1
13th June 2008, 16:35
It's my understanding that if you record with a DVR, what you watch can be tracked.

I first learned of that in the Super Bowl XXXIX Halftime Show fallout. TiVo announced that they noticed a spike in pauses shortly following the "wardrobe malfunction".

That was my thought as well and thus the question. Those with DISH, Direct TV, cable companies that use DVR are in reality watching the program. I have a phone line attached to my DVR all the time so I am confident they are not only sending me updates but watching my viewing habits. Each of the programming distributors could report their viewership to ESPN and boom we have a news release.

So now I have to wonder how much of the increase was due to the Nascar over run. When I set my DVR is set a buffer of 60 minutes past scheduled time slot for delays. How many Nascar fans did the same? We will never know but the geek in me wants to know.
indyracefan
13th June 2008, 20:12
It wouldn't change the ratings for that race, as the viewers had already tuned in. It could very easily affect the next races if the viewers were turned off and returned the favor with their remotes.


...my point was more along the lines that not only was the channel the race was to be broadcast switched during the week, then ESPN still didn't start the broadcast at the time it was supposed to. It's amazing that people still found and watched the race.
NickFalzone
14th June 2008, 02:35
The ratings for the race are based on the several hours it was on. It ran from ~10:30 to 1:15 if I remember right. So for one, if you had it on DVR for NASCR you probably missed the end of the race as it wasn't scheduled to run that late. And even if as a NASCAR fan you watched through to the end, you still didn't have a major impact on the ratings as the IRL race ran several hours past that. For an IRL race to get a 1.0 starting at 11 pm on a sat night is actually very impressive.